6 Ayurveda Tips To Improve Your Stamina And Endurance

If you’re into fitness even at a basic level, the one thing you want – apart from the will to get out of bed before sunrise – is increased stamina, so you’re not huffing and puffing like a steam engine 5 minutes into the workout. The good news is, the ancient science of Ayurveda has a few tricks in its vast treasure chest that can help you up your endurance levels. It’s natural, it’s easy, and it’s definitely effective. Let’s take a look at some Ayurveda Tips to increase these two attributes for you.

Be smart about your diet

Diet plays an important role in helping your body build up more stamina. Some excellent food choices are pineapple, watermelon, mango, berries, as well as paneer, soaked almonds and cashews. A key aspect of any smooth workout is regular bowel movement. In case your bowel movements are not regular, start your morning with a glass of warm water. As much as it may make you cringe, green vegetable are really helpful in cleaning your system and building immunity! You can also try including cooked prunes, figs and raisins in your meals.

Your dominant dosha not only identifies the best food for you, but also helps you find the exercise that works best for your system. Those with Vata as the dominant dosha are advised to take up lighter activities such as walking. Pitta types are recommended moderately intense exercise such as brisk walking, water aerobics, slow cycling, ballroom dancing and doubles tennis. Lastly, the Kapha types are recommended high-intensity workouts like jogging, running, singles tennis, dancing, jumping rope, uphill hiking, fast cycling, swimming laps. Choosing your exercise based on your dominant dosha helps you maintain balance and increase your endurance without causing strain on your health.

Stick to the routine

Exercising at the same time day after day puts your body in the groove over the course of time, and helps you improve faster. Ideally, you should do your workout before the sun rises or latest by 9 a.m. Early morning is the Kapa duration of the day – this means that your body is stronger and has heightened coordination around this time, so it only makes sense to utilise this to its best potential. While many people exercise during the night, Ayurveda does not really recommend it, since exercise elevates the body temperature, which in turn disturbs the sleep rhythm.

Watch your breath

The correct breathing technique makes all the difference in helping you go the extra mile. Many people make the mistake of breathing through their mouths while working out, especially when the workout is too intense. While this may provide temporary relief it only exhausts you faster and is harmful to the circulation system. When you’re training, focus on establishing rhythmic breathing. Breathe from your diaphragm, as it allows your lungs to expand to the fullest and take in the most amount of air. The more air you inhale, the more oxygen is circulated throughout your working muscles, the more stamina you develop. You can also take up yoga and meditation to help you with focused breathing.

Don’t over-exert

When you push your limits too far, too soon, you body suffers and you’re forced to take a step back, which only slows you down. It’s like taking five steps forwards, then ten steps backwards. According to Ayurveda, if you find yourself forcefully breathing through your mouth, and are sweating excessively on your forehead and nose, you’re over-exerting your heart, and you must stop immediately.

Go herbal or go home!

Ayurveda strongly recommends herbs – whether it’s in the form of herbal supplements, teas or oils – to make improve any activity, be it sleep or building endurance. Of course, you have to be mindful about the right kind of herbs. Herbs such as Brahmi, Shilajit, Shatavari and Ashwagandha are said to be rich in antioxidants and vitamins that increase vitality and improve stamina.

Improving stamina is not an overnight thing, and you definitely shouldn’t rush into it. Start slow, with baby steps; but make sure you stick to it! Good luck!

Author Bio:

Karen is a writer (or so she keeps telling herself), who is easily excited by crazy ideas, outer space and innovations in pizza. She is currently writing for PinHealth, an online marketplace for branded healthcare products. She thoroughly enjoys reading, cycling and trying to find newer ingredients to add to her coffee. Her talents include lurking on Google fishing for random facts at 4 am and over thinking almost everything.

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